In Summary:
- Faith Kipyegon broke her own 1500m world record, showcasing incredible speed and further cementing her legendary status.
- Beatrice Chebet made history by becoming the first woman to run the 5000m in under 14 minutes, setting a new world record.
- Their record-breaking performances highlighted a top-tier athletics event, alongside other strong showings from global athletes.
Kenyan superstars Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet recently made history at the Diamond League event in Eugene, Oregon, both shattering world records in their respective races. Kipyegon, already an Olympic champion, bettered her own 1500m record, while Chebet broke the 5000m world record, becoming the first woman to complete the distance in under 14 minutes. Their impressive achievements were standout moments at the elite competition, which also featured other top athletes from around the world.
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Kipyegon and Chebet’s Record-Breaking Triumphs
Faith Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic 1500m champion at 31 years old, further solidified her legendary status by breaking her own world record in the women’s 1500m.
She crossed the finish line in an astonishing 3 minutes, 48.68 seconds, shaving 0.36 seconds off her previous best.
This achievement comes shortly after her attempt to run a sub-four-minute mile, an unprecedented feat for a woman, fell short.
Not to be outdone, Beatrice Chebet, 25, set a new world record in the women’s 5,000m with a blistering time of 13:58.06.
She eclipsed the previous record, held by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, by more than two seconds.
Chebet now holds both the world records and Olympic titles in the 5,000m and 10,000m, cementing her position as a formidable force in long-distance running.
Expressing her elation, Chebet stated, “When I was coming here to Eugene, I was coming to prepare to run a world record. I’m so happy.”
Other Notable Performances
The Prefontaine Classic, as the Eugene Diamond League meeting is also known, witnessed several other impressive performances.
On the British front, Matt Hudson-Smith delivered a season’s best of 44.10 seconds to win the men’s 400m, outperforming American contenders Christopher Bailey and Jacory Patterson.
British record holder Zharnel Hughes also achieved a season’s best, finishing second in the men’s 100m with a time of 9.91, behind Jamaica’s Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson.
However, it was a mixed evening for other British athletes.
Jemma Reekie equaled her season’s best in the women’s 800m, placing seventh, while Paris gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson was absent due to a hamstring injury.
Dina Asher-Smith finished seventh in the women’s 100m, with American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden claiming victory.
In the Bowerman Mile, Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley finished eighth and twelfth, respectively, in a race dramatically won by Dutchman Niels Laros.
Beyond the track, Sweden’s world record holder Armand Duplantis dominated the men’s pole vault, comfortably winning with a height of 6.00 m.
Two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also showcased her prowess, equaling a season’s best of 49.43 to secure a win against fellow Americans Aaliyah Butler and Isabella Whittaker.
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Looking Ahead
The Diamond League series is set to continue, with the next stop in Monaco before heading to the UK for a sold-out London Athletics Meet on July 19.
The series will culminate in the finals in Zurich on August 27 and 28, just over two weeks before the start of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where these record-breaking athletes are expected to once again showcase their extraordinary talents.
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